Various devices for the cutting and slicing of many different items have been both desirable and available for centuries. For example, as far back as one can search in recorded history, blade-type knives have been used in the most important and basic of human activities, from the hunting, to the dressing and slicing of food into portions suitable for consumption. As such, improvements to cutting and slicing devices have continuously been sought. For example, the various blades have evolved over the ages into finely crafted, precision instruments constructed from newer, stronger and sharper materials from high strength steel alloys to titanium.
However, notwithstanding the developments in cutting and slicing technology, devices known heretofore are undesirable in many respects. That is, while blades become sharper and stronger, allowing them to retain sharp cutting edges for longer and longer periods of time, desirable attributes continue to remain unrealized.
For example, many suffer from being ergonomically difficult to use. Exemplary of such short-comings, many cutting devices have long handles positioned well away from the portion of the blade edge most suited for cutting, and thus create increased tension and stress in the user's wrist.
Additionally, in efforts to increase the safety of cutting devices, various guards and shields have been employed to protect the user and others from the sharp edges of the blades. However, many of these guards trap debris within, making subsequent cleaning of the blades difficult.
Relatedly, while many of these improved devices are comprised of strong materials and posses the capability of slicing even the toughest substances, they require a gentle touch during cleaning, or they will lose their sharpened edges. For example, many of such blades are not “dishwasher” safe, and the simple act of placing in them in a dishwasher may ruin, or at least greatly diminish, sought after benefits such as the long time retention of a sharp edge.
For example, one currently known device which suffers from the foregoing is the pizza cutter. Briefly, as illustrated in FIG. 1, typical pizza cutters use a circular blade 10 comprised of stainless steel or other similar alloys or materials. The circular blade is typically rotatably mounted on axle 12 connected by “forks” 14 to one end of an elongated handle 16. The handle 16 is held while moving the blade 10 across pizza. While the blade 10 is moved, it tends to rotate about its axle 12 as it rolls across the pizza. However, these cutters suffer from many of the foregoing drawbacks as they are often bulky and awkward, the cutting pressure from the user is difficult, if not impossible, to direct over the cutting center of the blade, the forks may make cleaning difficult by trapping debris, and the exposed blade may become dulled when stored or run through dishwashers.
Thus, it is apparent that particular examples of the drawbacks of currently known slicing devices are numerous. However, suffice it to say, there is a long-felt need for cutting devices which improve upon the ergonomics of the device to the user, which improve the safety of the device, yet which still facilitate the cleaning of the blade. As will be described hereinbelow, the present invention addresses such long-felt needs in all areas of slicing, and as will become apparent, will demonstrate particular utility in the areas of slicing pizza and other “flat-bread” like cuisine.